FortisBC and Business Improvement
Areas of B.C. team up to donate sweaters and raise awareness of energy
efficiency
SURREY, BC, Feb. 18, 2013 /CNW/ -
FortisBC and the Business Improvement Areas of B.C. have tallied their results
from the first-ever "Turn Down the Heat Week." From February 2 to 9,
the organizations encouraged British Columbians to turn down the heat and
donate warm clothing to those in need. Over 5,000 sweaters - double the goal of
2,500 - were collected by local businesses and FortisBC employees.
"BIABC and its members should be commended for their great effort," said Doug Stout, vice president of energy solutions and external relations with FortisBC. "Equally, FortisBC employees stepped up across British Columbia to collect and donate sweaters, while asking customers to make small, but important, changes regarding energy use."
Participating businesses in 16
Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) from Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, and
the Interior rallied customers, fellow businesses, and municipalities to turn
down the thermostat and find creative ways to raise awareness of energy
conservation. Some businesses held sales of hot drinks, warm clothing, scarves
and even provided incentives of hot chocolate in exchange for sweater
donations.
"We are overwhelmed by the
positive response to '"Turn Down the Heat Week" and are particularly
appreciative of all of the businesses which turned down their thermostats
and jumped in to collect this amazing number of sweaters," said Ken Kelly,
Chair of BIABC and General Manager of the Downtown Victoria Business Association.
"Business improvement associations in our province are well-known for
their engagement in their communities and this campaign has really been a great
demonstration of this."
FortisBC employees from 10 locations
across the province collected 300 sweaters for donation to local community
organizations.
"This campaign not only gave us
an opportunity to save energy, give to charity and promote business during a
typically slow time, but it had value to our downtown businesses, knowing that
they were participating with other communities across B.C.," said Corry
Hostetter, General Manager of the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement
Association, which contributed an amazing 926 sweaters to Aids Vancouver Island
"Not only were we very excited to be part of this campaign but City Council proclaimed February 2 to 9 "Turn Down the Heat Week" in the City of Williams Lake in an effort to get more people thinking about energy conservation," said Judy O'Neill, Executive Director of the Williams Lake Central Business Improvement Association, which gathered up a remarkable 555 sweaters for the Cariboo Chilcotin Child Development Centre & Canadian Mental Health Association.
The mission of the Business
Improvement Areas of British Columbia (BIABC) is to demonstrate leadership that
will champion strong, vibrant, and successful downtowns, main streets, and
commercial districts throughout British Columbia. A vibrant and thriving
downtown commercial area is the barometer of a healthy community. BIABC
represents 55 BIA's and 60,000 businesses throughout
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